Thursday, November 27, 2008

From our home to yours.... Happy Thanksgiving!We have SO MUCH to be thankful for.... Freedom to worship as we please is in it self enough to make our hearts swell with gratitude! Enjoy your time with your family!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for the freedoms we have in our great nation. Mostly, thank you for our freedom to worship you in the way we choose! Thank you for being able to gather together with other believers without the risk of loosing our lives. Stir up in my heart a greater understanding and thankfulness for this freedom and help me to pray more diligently for those that are being persecuted. Thank you for this day set aside to give you thanks for all of our many blessings... for it is from you we are blessed! Thank you, Jesus!

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Angie, at Many Little Blessings is hosting a Simple Family Supper give away! She contacted me about this and I was happy to do it. If you are interested in hosting a give away, just contact me. Hop on over to her site to enter for your chance to win a copy of the December's "money wise" edition of Simple Family Supper!

Last year I made the most AMAZING fudge.... then I lost the recipe. I probably accidentally threw out that printed off sheet along with other random papers on my counter! So, thank you Amy, for helping me find it on your blog! This AMAZING fudge is easy to make.... just takes stirring skill... and I am going to make it this afternoon. The holidays just wouldn't be the same! (I now need to find a good peanut butter fudge recipe. We have friends that have given us peanut butter fudge every year for years! Now they have discovered that their 2 year old has peanut allergies.... not going to get the fudge this year!)

Amy's Amazing Fudge

Combine the following in a large bowl:3 cups chocolate chips (semi-sweet is the best!)½ lb. (2 sticks) butter, cut into chunks

Mix together and stir constantly over med-high burner. Keep stirring until it comes to a full bubbling boil- NOT a rolling boil. Time for 6 minutes. Remove from heat and pour over chips and butter in bowl. Add 1 tsp. vanilla, stir until chocolate is melted. Add nuts if desired. [Try dried cherries too- yumm-o!]Pour into GREASED 9x13 pan and cool.Cut into squares and serve. Keep refrigerated or at least in a cool place.Warning: Very rich- you must have a glass of milk or a cup of coffee. Eating more than 3 pieces at a time is known to give you sugar overload.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

The December menu is up and ready for you. This month is a special **Money Wise** edition. The holidays put a strain on our budget so this month I have put together the best frugal recipes from the past year! Enjoy some extra savings at the grocery store. You will also find some easy and yummy deserts that are perfect for holiday functions! December is such a busy month... enjoy the menu, it will save you both time and money. Eliminate some stress from your life!

Current subscribers just need to log in at www.simplefamilysupper.com with your username and password that was given to you by paypal when you signed up. Subscribing is simple and secure with Paypal.

This easy recipe is on the menu:

Lasagna Soup

**Fast Track:Use meat from Wk 1/D2**

Crock Pot or Stove Top

Ingredients:

1 pound “Fast Track” browned meat (from wk 1/d2)

1 large can Tomato juice

1 can diced tomatoes

1 tsp onion powder

½-1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp Italian seasoning (herb mix)

Optional ingredients:Sliced mushrooms and diced greenpeppers

3-4 lasagna noodles broken into small pieces

**Shredded mozzarella cheese (sprinkle on top of each bowl when serving)

Crock pot Directions:

1)Thaw “fast track” browned meat

2)Put everything EXCEPT noodles and cheese into crock pot

3)Cook on HIGH 3-4 hours or on low 6-10 hours.An hour or so before serving add the noodles (break them into bite size pieces)

4)Sprinkle each serving with cheese.

Stove Top Directions:

1)Brown the meat.

2)In a large soup pan add all ingredients except noodles and cheese.Bring to a boil on a med/low heat

3)Add noodles and simmer 20-30 minutes.

4)Serve with cheese sprinkled on top of each serving.

Side Suggestions:Garlic Bread, bagged salad,

(Make your own easy garlic bread: 1) slice a loaf of French bread 2)mix together garlic powder and softened butter or margarine3)spread garlic butter on bread slices.Wrap loosely in foil and bake at 375 degrees for 5 -7 minutes.)

Have a great December! If you have any questions or concerns feel free to email me. As a mom owned home business your word of mouth is the best advertising tool I have. If you know anyone that would like to reduce stress, save money and enjoy supper with their family please pass on www.simplefamilysupper.com

Monday, November 24, 2008

OK... I have been back and forth trying to decide how to handle my blog.... I have been allowing the computer to take up too much of my time and distract me from what God wants me to focus on: my husband, children and home. It has been TOO easy for me to "escape" from real life to the bloggy one! So, I have decided to obey God's leading and put the computer in it's place. I will still post randomly and I will visit other blogs, but ONLY in a certain amount of allotted time in my day... I will be spending VERY little time on the computer. I had taken my blog off.... but I don't think that is the point... I need to practice self-control... one of those fruits of the spirit, so I am opening it back up. For me this is about obedience, about trusting in GOD to meet my needs, for growing in character. In bloggy land it is too easy for me to get sucked up into the traps of attention, approval, procrastination, selfishness and wastefullness (time). My blog is titled Choosing Simplicity.... for me that means Choosing to eliminate distraction. Living life with an eterninty perspective: "How is what I am doing right now going to impact eternity?"

It is my FAVORITE week... THANKSGIVING!! The BEST holiday... not touched by commercialism! Yeah! I will be busy baking and cooking, both things I love to do!

Monday: Finish up last touches to the December Simple Family Supper, home School pre-school, make home made noodles and all the daily duties around the house. Wes has basketball practice in the evening. (By the way, his team WON on Saturday.... Wes had several steals, assists and scored points! We are so proud of him! He is a TALL (5' 4") asset to his 5th grade team!

Tuesday: Publish December's Simple Family Supper, Daily Duties around the house, home school preschool and take our oldest two to the orthodontist to GET ON BRACES!!!!!!! WOW!! We are driving an hour to Illinois to go to a great doctor (and much more affordable). He is such a blessing to our finances... He is GIVING us Robyn's braces for FREE because he "doesn't charge for self confidence". She just needs her two front teeth taken care of (at this point till she finishes loosing the rest of her baby teeth). Thank you Dr. Martin!! Tuesday evening hubby and I will butcher up the doe he got Saturday evening.

Wednesday: Home school preschool, house cleaning (or as flylady calls it, house blessing) and cooking! Wes and Robyn only have a half day of school. Wes had Basket ball practice in the evening.

Thursday: THANKSGIVING with family!!!

How is your week shapping up??? ENJOY some FUN time with your family!!!SMILE!!!!!!!!!!!

Deer Meat!!! This is a picture of my hubby and our youngest, Nate, with the Buck Chris got a few weeks ago with his bow. Last night he added a doe with his shotgun! We will butcher it up Tuesday evening. God is SO GOOD and faithfully provides for all of our needs!

Fun Shoes!!! I am not really a "shoe gal", but I couldn't pass up these fun finds at goodwill. They are so old fashioned and fun... my hubby just laughs (in a nice way)!

WARM heat coming from the wood stove!!! If feels SO good!!

Healthy Children... it is so hard on this Mama to see my children sick... they are all over their colds.

EXTRA sleep over the weekend... I was out by 8:30 Friday evening! It was WONDERFUL!!

Question of the week:"This question was given to us during the message at church this morning. Our pastor really challenged us to look at our lives, our attitudes and our personalities to see if they are lining up with the word of God. He challenged us to answer this question about ourselves (honestly): "What adjectives describes you best??" hmmmmm..... that one makes a person really think.... Do I have to be honest????? Can I put down what I *hope* or *want* it to be??

Friday, November 21, 2008

Is the computer a blessing or a curse in living out our real life?? Specifically the internet. Is it both a blessing and a curse?? Does it bless or curse daily life as we strive to live out the plan and purpose God has given us to fulfill?? These are heavy questions my heart has been pondering.

Truthfully, I don't really like the answer I keep hearing as I pray and think about it... it is more of a curse than a blessing for me. Too much time sitting in front of the computer than actively involved in the life God has given me to live out! Yes, there is a TON of great things on-line (obviously staying away from the crap), but it can suck the life right out of me as I let the minutes slip away......

A good indication of how much control the computer has is by measuring the amount of time spent ON the computer and the amount of time spent THINKING about the next time on the computer. hmmmm... for me, TOO much! YUCK! How much of my identity is wrapped up in the person I am when I am on the computer??

Being a friend on the computer is easy. Being a wife on the computer is easy. Being a Martha Stewart on the computer is easy. Being a christian on the computer is easy. Real life is NOT easy. Escaping to the world wide web to avoid real life.... guilty.

Am I the only one?? What is the solution?? Where do I go from here??I am joining up with "Life my life with purpose" for the next 40 days to seek God for direction. I want to fulfill HIS plan and purpose for my life... In REAL life.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Thanksgiving is just a week away..... Christmas is just around the corner, but you can be READY and you can ENJOY the holiday meals by following these simple steps!

Keep the stress level down by following these few simple tips:

1)Start early.Decide what you are preparing and what you want your guests to bring.(Ask guests to bring something… make it a family affair!)Write it down (If I don't have it written down it isn't going to happen... just ask my 4 year old about why he tells me to "write it on your list, Mommy"). Don’t forget to plan drinks. Also, remember, everything does not have to be made from scratch!It is about the family time, not about “perfect” food!

2)Shop ahead of time with a list.Know what you need so you don’t have to make any last minute trips to the store.Stores are much less busy the week before a holiday.Do you need anything (linens, decorations, serving dishes) other than food items?

3)Spread out the preparation.If it is possible to prepare any of your dishes ahead of time (a day or two earlier or to freeze) DO IT!Any thing you can do ahead of time will reduce your stress.Remember to thaw out the turkey.

4)The day before…. Set out all of the serving dishes and utensils, prepare the table (linens, decorations, etc) and set the table the day before the big event. (You can cover the table with a sheet if you want to.)Get as much done as possible BEFORE the big day!

5)Baby steps!One thing at a time!Clean up the kitchen as you go so you don’t end up with a big mess to clean up.Fill the sink with hot soapy water and wash as you go.Then you won’t be frantically cleaning up the kitchen before guests arrive.

6)ENJOY the holidays; focus on building memories with your family rather than creating a “perfect” holiday!Kids won’t remember all the details, but they will remember our attitudes!A simple meal with a joyful, happy Mom is far better than any feast with a stressed out, grumpy Mom!

Turkey Talk!Happy Thanksgiving!

You DON’T need to be afraid of baking a turkey!You can do it with the simple recipe and instructions I am giving you.Enjoy the turkey left overs … aka: “Fast Track”. This is the way my Grandmother taught me to roast a turkey and hers (and mine) always turn out wonderful!

If you enjoy wearing skirts but don't like to be cold, then you and I are in the same boat! I wear skirts about 80% of the time in the summer, but in the cold months not as much.... till now!! (I am a modest dresser, but not skirt only... I have a lot of respect for anyone that chooses to be skirts only. I do not wear shorts but do wear capris and do have some favorite jeans.) Over the weekend my hubby purchased a pair of terramar thermal pants for me to wear deer hunting (and for skirt wearing). I have one thing to say after wearing them all day yesterday (I did have to go outside on several occasions and it was WINDY and COLD).... WARM!! WARM!! In fact, warmer than if I had on my favorite pair of jeans!!! Amazing! It is a two layered pant... the inner layer is fleece and the outer layer is made to be a wind barrier! It works!!!!!! I know I will stay warmer while deer hunting and now I can wear my favorite long skirts all winter without freezing every time I step outside. The fit is great and look like tights... they don't look like long jons!

Walmart also carries a wide selections of "leggings" now that leggings are back in fashion. I have NO intention of wearing them as fashion dictates, but they will work great under my long skirts. I picked up a black pair and a ribbed brown pair for $7. These won't be as warm as the terramar ones, but they will work for days I am mostly inside. Being cold is torture in my book.... anything to stay warm!

How do you deal with skirts in the cold weather?? Also, what kinds of shoes do you wear with your skirts in the winter.... summer is easy: sandals... but winter is still a bit confusing to me!

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Soups and stews simmering on the wood stove to serve for supper is a common thing here in these COLD months. Soups and stews are comforting and warm up our middles! Serving bread with a bowl of soup is always welcomed. We had this quick oatmeal bread with our vegetable beef soup (fast track meat from "Efficient Cooking") for supper tonight. It was VERY easy and was gobbled up. In fact I mixed up the dry ingredients in the morning so all I had to do this afternoon was add the remaining ingredients and pour the batter into the pan! SIMPLE!!! The dry ingredients could also be prepared ahead of time and packaged up for using later.....(this is a plan of mine for some Christmas baskets I am putting together). Having a few of these "mixes" ready in the pantry would make this a snap to prepare for any meal.

Directions:Mix together the dry ingredients. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well. Pour batter into a well greased 9x5" loaf pan. Let stand for 20 minutes and then bake for 60 minutes at 325 degrees. Remove from pan while still hot. ENJOY!

We have been having unseasonably COLD weather..... I just don't want to admit winter is really here. I guess the sooner I face it the sooner we can get back to summer! LOL!! One good thing about winter is all the baking.... warms up the house and makes it smell so good.

Directions:1) Mix together the baking mix and hot water until a stiff dough forms. Let stand 10 minutes (rest) Then either kneed by hand on a floured surface 60 times or kneed in a mixer for 1 minute.2) Pat dough into an un-greased cookie sheet. Spread melted butter on dough. Mix remaining ingredients together and sprinkle on top. (I often just sprinkle on parsley flakes and garlic powder)3) Bake 10-12 minutes at 450 degrees or until edges are light golden brown. Cut with a pizza cutter and serve. Refrigerate any left overs (if you used cheese). ENJOY!!

Monday, November 17, 2008

As you may know, I have a passion for supper time! As our Children grow older and and are involved in extra curricular activities making supper time a priority has taken more determination, but is worth it! Read this great article here on Christian Woman.

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Updates.... The parenting class I teach twice a month went GREAT! We had a wonderful discussion about building positives into our children's lives. We have had good attendance and new parents. I feel "in my element" when I am teaching. My husband and I had a good talk on Friday evening.... I really LOVED my part time job running the parent education program for pregnant high risk women and teens. I also really LOVE teaching the parenting class for the pregnancy center. I was complaining that I can't make any money doing those things that I love (and believe God has gifted me it). I admit I was feeling down... My husband gently reminded me that it isn't all about money and that making a difference is more important than any amount of money... he also reminded me to have an ETERNITY focus, not looking at the "money reward" we want to earn on earth. GOOD REMINDER! Here I am reading books on being Eternity minded and I slip into a "feel sorry for myself" attitude, because I am not able to earn money doing what I love to do... teach (Isn't that just how it is... we are growing in the knowledge of God and the enemy comes with an attack....) I am glad that God gave me a wise husband that loves me through a "feel sorry for me" session, but brings me out re-focused on what really matters... Serving God and others with our strengths and talents. God has me where I am supposed to be... at home nurturing up our children and tending to the home. I can serve others on a volunteer basis just like I have been doing. My skills are not being "wasted", but rather strengthened and developed as I use them teaching my children and managing our home.

Ok... On to "EFFICIENT COOKING" (Which is a skill God has helped me develop as I strive to become a wise manager of our home). I have posted about how I brown ground meat in an effient way to save time and mess. Over the weekend I cooked a large roast (along with potatoes) in the crock pot. EASY and yummy. After we ate our dinner we had plenty of roast left for me to shred and freeze for using later. When I use it later I call it "FAST TRACK" cooking. I will use it in something like vegetable beef soup, beef and noodles or bbq. It is wonderful knowing it is in the freezer so it makes for a FAST supper. Who needs frozen chicken nuggets, corn dogs or other frozen (expensive and unhealthy) meals in the freezer when you have "Fast Track" meat ready and waiting. With "Fast Track" browned ground meat I can have Tacos on the table in 10 minutes... can't bake a froze pizza that fast! Using "Efficient and Fast Track" cooking has saved me so much time, money and junk in our bodies! I teach this process and use "Efficient and Fast track" cooking in the menus I plan for Simple Family Supper. (Simple Family Supper does use my love of teaching and my love of cooking and I do earn money from it.. I have a lot to be thankful for!) Save Time, save mess, save money! Give this roast recipe a try:

EASY crock pot Roast1 large roast.. BEEF, PORK or VENISON (size depends on how much you want to freeze for later) (I usually cook a 3-4 lb roast)1 pkt dry Italian salad dressing mix3/4 cup water

Put the meat in the crock pot (you can also arrange carrots and potatoes around the meat). Mix together the seasoning mix and water, pour on top of roast. Cover and cook on LOW 8-12 hours or on HIGH 5-7 hours until meat is tender. (when I make it this way the meat is so tender it just falls apart... YUMMY!)Shred and freeze remaining meat in labeled freezer bags! ENJOY!

A friend of mine emailed me for an easy roast recipe.. I gave her this one and another one... she said it was EASY and they loved it. Have a great day!

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Twice a month I facilitate a parenting program for a local Pregnancy Center. In my "old life" I ran a pregnancy/parenting program for at risk women and teens. I LOVED my job, I enjoy teaching and encouraging. God brought me home (5 years ago) to focus on my family and I have learned to LOVE my job here with my family. However, I have the opportunity to serve with this parenting class. Tonight we are going to be talking about how powerful "labels" are... how destructive negative ones can be and how empowering positive ones can be. We can ALL remember a negative remark made about us... it hits hard and sticks deep. Hopefully you can also remember a time someone said something positive about you... it builds you up and encourages you to do it again.

Parents attending the parenting class have the opportunity to do "home work" to earn more baby bucks" to spend at the Pregnancy Center's store (diapers, clothes, equipment, etc). The following is the worksheet I created to use with the group tonight. I have also printed off four copies to use myself... I am going to fill one out for each of my children and give it to them... something to hold on to and read about the positives I believe for them! I need to be reminded of this as much as the next parent... our words hold so much power... for good or bad! (I apologize for the font size.. for some reason it is showing up SO BIG! It isn't this big on the worksheet.)

Building Positives into our Children!

Human nature naturally falls to the negative, it takes an act of will to focus on the positive.Positives BUILD, Negatives TEAR DOW!!Choose to BUILD up with POSITIVES!

In the boxes below fill out at least THREE positive things you want for your child (or positive character traits you want for your child) in each of the following areas.Focusing on the positives will overcome the negatives.Don’t label a child with a negative trait or it will stick and tear them down…. Build your child up with positive comments/ labels and it will build them up!

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

I will admit that Christmas has never been a favorite of mine... don't get me wrong, I am in awe, reverence and am eternally grateful for our Savior.... I just find all the expectations and work of modern Christmas to be exhausting. It never seems like enough... we are constantly bombarded with the "stuff" of Christmas. From the perfect tree, the gifts, the parties, the cards, the decorations, on and on... it is stressful! NOT this year!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am glad that ValleyGirl is hosting this! Thank you, Tammi!

This year is going to be a SIMPLE celebration of our Savior... for without him I would be eternally lost! Because of HIS grace, I have an eternity in heaven to look forward to! I am in awe of HIS love for me and I want this to be expressed in Christmas.

We are going simple: home made gifts from the heart, simple things I have picked up throughout the year and time spent together, making memories not stress! Letting go of perfection and enjoying each moment for what it is, not some preconceived notion of what it was supposed to be like. How often does that happen?? Measure a moment by some ideal in my head for what it was supposed to be like...... rather than celebrate and enjoy life for what it is? Setting myself up for disappointment with unrealistic expectations????

Yesterday I put together this year's Christmas Control Binder (Flylady has one ready for you to print off). Flylady also has wonderful ideas for clutter free gifts. Having a Christmas control binder is something I started doing 3 years ago... it REALY helps!!! Knowledge is power and knowing what I am going to do is half the battle. Also, having the spending plan down on paper is great. I now have the plan.... what I am making/giving to each one on our list. Keeping things simple and doing something each day so that it isn't a last minute rush.

I already have many gifts that I have collected through the year as I have found them. Today I am going to pick up wraping paper and wrap up some gifts. Wrapping is something that I used to wait till last minute to do.... the past couple of years I would start wrapping EARLY and it was a HUGE stress reducer. Usually I buy wrapping paper after Christmas when it is marked down... I don't know why, but for some reason I didn't pick any up last year... boy am I going to hate paying full price!

In all honesty, it is a heart issue. Today, in this moment, I am choosing to be simple! Choosing to be content and not longing for the preconceived perfect! Enjoying this season, building memories, focusing on the Grace we have been given by accepting Jesus as our Savior! Having an eternity perspective!! Blessing others in a way that builds up the kingdom of God, not just falling prey to the worlds way of Christmas. Enjoying and yet being sepparate...From Presents to Presence!!!!

About Me

I want to do more than survive the stress and chaos of this world! I will live out the truth that GOD is BIGGER than anything we face here in this world!
I am wife to Chris, Mom to 3 boys and 1 daughter.
Most importantly I am a daughter of the King!
My goal is to choose a simple life and to encourage others in this adventure!